Indri Anugraheni, Anik Gufron, Yoppy Wahyu Purnomo
Traditional teaching methods often fail to equip students with the ability to connect mathematical concepts to real-world problems, limiting their critical thinking skills and practical application. This quasi-experimental study investigates the impact of Realistic Problem-Based Learning (R-PBL) on enhancing mathematical connection (MC) abilities among 126 elementary school students in Indonesia (aged 10–12 years), divided into an experimental group (n = 63) taught using R-PBL and a control group (n = 63) taught using the Conventional Teaching Approach (CTA). The study utilized descriptive statistics, paired and independent t-tests, ANCOVA, and effect size (η2) to analyze data, summarizing performance, comparing pre- and posttest scores, assessing instructional effectiveness, and isolating the impact of the RPBL approach on mathematical connection skills. The study found that the Realistic Problem-Based Learning (RPBL) approach significantly enhanced students’ mathematical connection (MC) abilities compared to the Conventional Teaching Approach (CTA), with the experimental group showing notable improvements in all MC sub-dimensions (ER1, ER2, AM1, AM2) and a total mean score increase from 33.22 to 38.78, while the control group exhibited minimal progress. ANCOVA results further confirmed the effectiveness of RPBL, with significant instructional effects on ER2 (η2 = 0.219) and AM1 (η2 = 0.231), highlighting its impact on fostering mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills. These findings underscore the importance of integrating realistic, problem-based approaches into elementary mathematics curricula to enhance students’ problem-solving skills in real-life contexts, emphasizing the potential of R-PBL to bridge the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and practical applications. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Indonesia
